WILL ROONEY

A COUPLE have spoken of their delight after becoming parents to children conceived just a month apart with the help of two lesbian surrogate mothers.

Tracy and Pete Akoun from Portsmouth suffered repeated miscarriages and fell victim to a conwoman as they battled to fulfil their dream.

Nyobi, left, and Kenya, daughters of Tracy and Pete Akoun, who were born a month apart to two different lesbian surrogate mothers, at home in Portsmouth Picture: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire

But, after joining a Facebook group for surrogacy, they met Tricia Hunt and Kate Fruin-Smith, two lesbians who each have their own partners and children and live in different parts of the UK.

Using the women’s eggs and Mr Akoun’s sperm, daughters Nyobi and Kenya were conceived and then born one month apart on June 4 and July 4 last year.

Mrs Akoun, 47, accidentally fell pregnant with twins not long after meeting her husband but suffered a miscarriage and then suffered ‘repeated losses’.

The couple decided to create a profile on a surrogacy website. They were first deceived by a conwoman into handing over £400 but were then overjoyed when they met Ms Fruin-Smith, but she only wanted to carry one baby. The couple then approached Mrs Hunt, who was willing to carry a second child.

We were absolutely ecstatic

Tracy Akoun

Mrs Akoun said: ‘We were absolutely ecstatic. I don’t think Pete took it on board at all. I think he was worried that something might go wrong.

‘At the end of the day, you worry until that baby is in your arms. We took each day at a time.’

Nyobi was born to Mrs Hunt on June 4, 2016, at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester and Kenya to Ms Fruin-Smith a month later, on July 4, at Rotherham General Hospital.

Under UK law, the surrogate is the child’s legal parent until the intended parents are granted a parental order six weeks after the birth.